A TOTAL of 61 candidates will be vying for 20 seats at the Town Hall when the local government elections are held on 3 May.

A TOTAL of 61 candidates will be vying for 20 seats at the Town Hall when the local government elections are held on 3 May.

There are eight Liberal Democrats seats, six Labour seats, four Conservative seats and another presently empty seat up for grabs.

At the moment the Liberal Democrats narrowly hold the balance of power with 30 councillors. Labour has 19, the Conservatives 10 and one other is vacant, the seat being formerly held by a Labour councillor who resigned in January.

All the parties are looking forward confidently to the election.

Labour leader Allen Brett said: "We are fielding one of our strongest line-ups in years, including four ex-councillors.

"We have Sultan Ali, a former mayor, in Smallbridge and Firgrove, Tommy Stott, who is returning to Kingsway, Jim Moran, who has returned to his roots in Healey and expects to win a hard-fought seat and Surinder Biant, who is aiming to wrest Spotland from the Liberals.

"The other target seats are Milkstone and Deeplish, where Imtiaz Ahmed returns for a second year.

"Central has a well known local campaigner, Farooq Ahmed, who hopes to become as well known as a councillor as he is a chef.

"After the shock result in Balderstone and Kirkholt last year, Councillor Darren Pedley is quietly confident of holding on to his seat.

"Even the three Pennine wards are to have special attention this year."

For the Liberal Democrats, the May elections marks the final push to put some clear water between them and their political rivals. They are fielding a full slate of candidates, targeting a number of areas, including Balderstone and Kirkholt, Norden, Kingsway, Bamford, Middleton East and West and Heywood North and West.

Council leader Alan Taylor said: "Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council is still under no overall control.

"We are targeting more seats than ever this year, as well as defending more than ever before.

"One of the reasons we have been so successful this year is because we work all the year round, not just at election time."

He added: "I also welcome the fact that the BNP are not standing. Last year's election was dominated by the politics of hate."

Councillor Taylor also paid tribute to two long-standing Lib Dem councillors who are retiring, Rodney Stott and Paul Rowen, who will be able to concentrate solely on his job as Rochdale's MP.

For their part the Conservatives, who voted with Labour on some issues during the year in an unlikely political alliance, say they will continue to concentrate on things that are important to local people.

Deputy leader Ian Duckworth said: "We will insist that money is directed away from paying for outside consultants which cost taxpayers £1M last year and unnecessary jobs like the people's champion.

"Large amounts of money should be spent on basic requirements such as gully clearing, street sweeping and road repairs.

"The Conservatives will also make every effort to breathe new life into the dying town centre.

"As always, we will be proposing lower council tax by cutting out the frills and concentrating on value for money without any cuts to vital services and vulnerable groups.

"Most importantly the Conservatives will fight for their constituents no matter where they live or who they voted for."